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Joe Cole and Jules Breach leave James Maddison red-faced as England star mocked
Joe Cole and Jules Breach ripped into James Maddison over the England star's failure to operate a water bottle.
In pictures: England v Australia
England star James Maddison was torn apart for his failure to use a water bottle properly prior to the Three Lions’ friendly with Australia. Maddison was among the starters for Gareth Southgate’s side, a reward for his fine start to life at Tottenham.
The attacking midfielder was warming up with the rest of the England 11 when the cameras caught him red-handed. Maddison attempted to drink from a bottle of water but had it turned the wrong way.
He squeezed the bottle twice, with water shooting off in the opposite direction. Maddison was left baffled that he was failing to consume the bottle’s contents - only to realise it was the wrong way around.
Maddison began to laugh but luckily it appeared nobody else noticed. Harry Maguire then started chatting with the former Leicester ace and appeared to show him how to drink from the bottle.
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But the moment was not missed by Channel 4’s pundits. Talking over a clip of the incident, Jules Breach let out a laugh and said: “Sorry but he clearly doesn’t know how to use a water bottle.”
Jill Scott said: “Thankfully he’s good at football.” Joe Cole then mocked Maddison just minutes later for a bad performance on the golf course, adding: “I was playing golf with James the other day and on his first shot, I don’t think he made it past the women’s tee, so hopefully he’ll put in a better performance today.”
The clip was shown to Maddison after the game, although he insisted he was trying to squirt a member of England’s coaching staff. Cole quipped: “They stitch you up at Channel 4!”
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Maddison helped England defeat Australia 1-0 at Wembley. Ollie Watkins scored the game’s only goal, sliding in Jack Grealish’s cross-cum-shot. Maddison and Grealish were among England’s best players in a heavily rotated starting 11.
The Tottenham star was building on an excellent start to life at Spurs. The 26-year-old has excelled under Australian boss Ange Postecoglou in North London having moved from Leicester in the summer.
Maddison has scored twice and assisted a further five goals in the Premier League this term. He recently told TalkSPORT of Postecoglou’s impact: “He has come in and had his way of playing and his methods. The way he wants us to train day in, day out is infectious. There’s not a day where you can go out and be half-hearted.
“The gaffer is a good man, first and foremost. The first thing he said to us on one of his first days was ‘be a decent human being and we’ll get along fine’.”